Integrity

Having the highest morals and beliefs; being sincere, trustworthy and honest without compromise.

Roughly ten years ago, my youngest son was struggling with his performance in school and I was struggling with the proper way to motivate a child whose learning style did not really fit with the standard sit in class and recite back what you have read or been told. I was trying to teach him the value of doing a thing because it is the right thing to do.

I asked him to read a book and write an essay on it called “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements is based on the Toltec wisdom as handed down to Don Miguel Ruiz by his family. They are:

Be impeccable in your word

Don’t take anything personally

Don’t make assumptions

Always do your best

Obviously I out him back into the same situation he was facing at school. Ugh. Well anyway, my intent was to help him discover his own integrity. Of doing a thing because it is the right thing to do no matter the consequences.

We have those agreements posted on our company bulleting board (it is the same as the family bulleting board in other words the fridge).

We do not always find them an easy course to navigate especially when we are in a situation where we have to tell a client something they do not want to hear or how we did not live up to our commitments. But living with this core value allows us to look the folks we work with and for in the eye and to say what we mean. Our integrity assures folks that we will do what we say.

One of the greatest complements that my son ever paid me, I am sure, he did without realizing it. I was reflecting with him one day on the way to school that I was grateful that he had put forth the effort and done the work required because I was not looking forward to enforcing the consequences that would have resulted from him not following through. However, I said, “I would have enforced those consequences”.  He said to me “I know Dad; you always do what you say”. We live up to that ideal each day when we work with our clients.

Who is your customer?

I recently attended a webinar offered by TrainingIndustry.com which featured Ken Blanchard, author of numerous books on management and motivation and Colleen Barrett, President Emeritus of Southwest Airlines. It was an engaging webinar that reminded me of my Primary Aim which I discovered through my work with E-Myth. My primary aim, what really drives me and gives me energy is to help other folks be successful.

So what does that have to do with the question at the top? Well I was brought up short once more on who my/our customers are here at Arvak Insurance Group.

Southwest Airlines has developed a culture in which their first customer is their employees. It is their belief (and after all these years also their experience) that satisfied employees treat people better and in turn those satisfied people come back and tell their friends about their positive experience. This has a positive effect on the financial performance of the company which in Southwest Airlines case means that their stockholders hare satisfied as well.

I see our aim as a company is to provide the opportunities for our employees to excel, to shine, to show off the best of themselves. In turn this will reflect on our client’s experience, whether it is getting an insurance ID card replaced or appeal a denied claim. Satisfied employees are more effective and create a positive environment that make Arvak Insurance Group a place that we forward to coming on a daily basis.

Who is your customer and why?

Emergency Checklist

Yep or is it Yikes! Summer is coming, fast and furious, hot and steamy. Along with the fabulous summer on the coast, we have the uninvited guests – tropical storms and hurricanes. We are weaving our way to a drought in South Texas and Texas as a whole. A nice easy soft tropical storm bringing a couple inches of rain would be welcomed. A stage 4 or 5 hurricane in the wrong place could be devastating. Are you prepared? Are you ready to get ready?

I grew up in North Texas; we had huge storms that brought hail and tornadoes. I thought living on the coast would be better; give you time to get prepared. After living here for 30 years I have decided that the wait isn’t much fun either when you may be in the firing line of that tropical storm in the Yucatan. Anyway, being prepared is more than boarding up your home or business. It means having your emergency contacts, urgent files, banking, credit cards, personal effects, health insurance cards, mortgage information and your critical needs at hand, easy to get to; perhaps even in one secure location so you can grab and go no matter what the emergency is. We have an “Emergency Checklist” that we can share with you if you are interested.

To recieve a copy of our Emergency Checklist, e-mail deborah@arvakinsurancegroup.com.

Employee Orientation Service

Over the years as we have continued to develop our practice one of the most significant services we have been providing is an Employee Orientation service to our clients to assist the employee and their family members manage their benefits. Our goal always is to help the employee and their family to be able to get the most from the benefit plan that the employer is providing.

Recently one of our account managers visited with an employee for their Orientation meeting. Our account manager sat with the employee and went over their benefits. The employee is expecting a baby later this year and during the course of the conversation they discussed how the employers Flexible Spending Account (FSA) could benefit the employee in paying for the upcoming medical bills that they were certain to have. Through the counseling that our account manager provided, the employee was able to maximize their contribution to the FSA and allow the government to help pay 25% of their out of pocket expenses for medical care.

This service has been well received by our clients and helps create better appreciation for the benefit plan that the employer is providing.  Employees now are more inclined to contact us about their questions and have a higher satisfaction rate with their coverage, which in turn makes them more satisfied in their job and a more productive worker.

To talk to someone about your benefit plan or any other questions you might have, you can call us at 361-8552500 or e-mail terry@arvakinsurancegroup.com.

How does your employer communicate your benefit plan to you and what questions do you have that you would like to have someone to call and answer?